LOS ANGELES — Christopher Bowman, who won the U.S. men’s figure skating titles in 1989 and ’92 and competed at the ’88 and ’92 Winter Olympics, was found dead Thursday at a motel in North Hills. He was 40.

Nicknamed “Bowman the Showman” for his flare on the ice, Bowman was pronounced dead at 12:06 p.m. of a possible overdose, said Los Angeles County Coroner’s Lt. Joe Bale, who could not immediately provide more details. An autopsy is planned for this weekend.

Born in Hollywood on March 30, 1967, Bowman was a former child actor who had a part in the TV series “Little House on the Prairie” for one season and appeared in dozens of commercials.

He admitted to having a bipolar disorder that led to a cocaine habit during his career. He checked into the Betty Ford Center before the 1988 Winter Olympics. He finished seventh in the ’88 games and fourth in the 1992 games.

In 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months’ probation for a misdemeanor involving having a gun while drunk.

Recently, Bowman had returned to acting. He plays an assistant coach in the upcoming Brian J. De Palma-directed motion picture “Down and Distance” staring Gary Busey.